Species
Chain Pickerel
Esox niger · family Esocidae
Live · updated
Native toothy predator of mill ponds, blackwater rivers, and grassy shorelines — especially common on the Eastern Shore. Hits spinners, spoons, and minnow plugs aggressively. Cold-weather fishery when bass have shut down.
Preferred conditions
- Water temp
- 45–80°F (ideal 60°F)
- Tide
- either
- Moon
- either
- Depth
- 3–15 ft
- Active months
- Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, Oct, Nov, Dec
Best chain pickerel conditions today
Prettyboy Reservoir
Loch Raven Reservoir
Shawnee State Park
Raystown Lake — Seven Points Beach
Laurel Hill State Park
Cowans Gap State Park
Prince Gallitzin State Park
Gifford Pinchot State Park
Pine Grove Furnace State Park
Yellow Creek State Park
Lake Champlain
Lums Pond State Park
Jug Bay — Patuxent River
Deep Creek Lake
Rocky Gap State Park — Lake Habeeb
Liberty Reservoir
Triadelphia Reservoir
Seneca Creek State Park — Clopper Lake
Burke Lake Park
Greenbrier State Park
Broadford Lake Park
Tuscarora State Park
Cacapon Resort State Park
Blackwater NWR — Fishing Area
Lake Anna State Park
Monocacy River — Buckeystown
No locations match that filter.
Regulations by jurisdiction
Maryland (non-tidal)
Stale: last verified 81 days ago.
non tidal
- Min size
- 14"
- Creel
- 5
Non-tidal MD: 14-inch minimum, 5 per day. Open year-round.
Source · verified 2026-04-22
Virginia (non-tidal — VDWR)
Stale: last verified 81 days ago.
non tidal
- Creel
- 5
Non-tidal VA: 5 per day, no statewide minimum size. Lake Gaston and Buggs Island (Kerr Reservoir) have no daily limit. Less restrictive on size than MD (which requires 14-inch minimum).
Source · verified 2026-04-22
NY
Stale: last verified 44 days ago.
non tidal
- Min size
- 15"
- Creel
- 5
15" minimum, 5/day.
Source · verified 2026-05-29